Guess who's sound???

I'll give you three hints.

1. It's a mare.
2. She's cost me thousands
3. I love her more than anything.

Yes it's true.

Ms. Slew came in from the pasture with me like a peach. Once inside she decided that she had to roll RIGHT NOW. The vet held her and we took her blanket off and made her be a good girl for a few minutes. She ran around like a crazy girl for about 10 minutes. It's been raining all day and so not so great for running outside. She was giving some mean bucks (and I continue to pray she never figures out how to do that under saddle) and had a good old time. I wish I would have thought about filming her during the first half of her running around.

Doesn't look very neurological does she? We continue to be clueless.

Her neck is still tender, so lots of massage and other work on that. (edit: I am looking into buying a Back on Track Neck wrap for her. Anyone use one on your horse? They are all out of stock and I'm having a hell of a time finding one.)

I worked with her for the first time since before our accident. I forget what a good, solid horse she is. She was a peach and we did walk/trot in the round pen and a little canter. She just seems so confident. She's such a different horse than the one I owned 2 months ago. She's very sure of herself, but not in a bad way. I am so glad that she is out with a herd.

After her massage and acupressure we brought the rest of the herd into the arena for the night. It was PORING out and the field was starting to turn muddy. One of the caretakers was walking around outside and all the horses spooked. All but one. My ponykins. I was so proud of her for using her head. She looked at the rest of them like, "Guys, it's Ann, Ann feeds us. What's the problem?"

The vet and I sat down and went over her supplements. I have a good idea of what to give her now. She said that even if she doesn't have EPM that we need to keep giving her the high doses of Vit. E for her neck. That's fine with me. We also talked about the next steps. She wants to trailer Denali to a few different places with me and let us both have a positive experience since our last one wasn't so hot. Seriously, this vet is amazing. If you live near Seattle and need a good vet let me know and I'll give you her name. We LOVE her! She goes way above and beyond what a vet should do. I wish there were some sort of award I could nominate her for.

After doing that I volunteered to de-lice a new patient. She is a super tiny Arab. I volunteered to do it since the vet had her daughter and I didn't want her to have the lice dust all over her. Plus, I like a challenge.

And a challenge it was.

1. Ponykins is newly halter broken.

2. Ponykins is VERY timid.

3. Ponykins is afraid of her shadow.

 It took me about 5 minutes to get the halter on her without traumatizing her. We did, and I gave her some love and told her thanks. The blanket coming off was difficult, but NO where near as difficult as putting it back on. I finally just threw it on her and quickly buckled the straps. She did really well, and I was proud of both of us. She is SO, SO tiny, I thought she was a foal or a yearling, but it turns out she is 6! People who treat an animal the way she's been treated...well I'll keep those opinions to myself.

Disaster averted! Pony was de-blanketed, de-liced, and re-blanketed.

And now for your viewing pleasure...Photos of Princess Ponykins!!

Getting work done on her neck. Look mom, no ribs!

Falling asleep while having work done on her legs.

Hi guys! Thanks for reading about me and being so supportive of my mom.

End of Year Review

Instead of breaking down all of my goals and analyzing them I think I will just sum up 2010 as Major Fail. That will save us all time.

Yesterday I was cleaning out my e-mail account when I got back to November I got sick. Ugh. I want to pretend that November never happened, let alone 2010.

In other news, (sit down) I have a diagnosis!!!

Yes, you read that correct. After going to hell and back we finally have a working diagnosis!

Arthritis.

On our 4th set of x-rays the Radiologist finally saw it! Between the C4 and C5 (or C5 and C6, I was so excited that I couldn't quite listen) there is arthritis forming. There are small bony protrusions, and the vet said that would explain her pain and neurological problems. I wonder if it got worse because she was in a stall for 8 months (Don't you love all my theory's?) There could still be something else going on, but for now...arthritis! We'll re-do the EMP bloodwork in another month or two to be sure.

What next?

Do nothing for now. We are going to watch her, do neck stretches, acupuncture and massage to see if there is any change. The next step is to start her on Adequan to see if that helps. The final option to keep her comfortable is to inject the joint. That will require a visit to the Spa, a little nap, and they would need to ultrasound the area while they inject it. AKA-$$$. So, I am starting a little savings account for just the horse. At least I know that this is coming down the road and can start saving for it. At this point Denali will have more money in her savings account than I do in mine (Thanks Denali.)

Last night I went out to see the beast. I haven't seen her in over two weeks. She's was in the arena with the rest of the herd. She actually came up to see me which surprised me since the past few times I didn't exist. We shared an apple until her boyfriend came up and moved her. She walked to a corner and pouted while the vet got the lunge whip.

The round pen is in the arena, and the vet wanted to show me what she has been working on with Denali. Denali didn't want to show us anything and tried to hide in the corner again. She walked reluctantly to the arena and the vet took off her blanket.

Holy shit, she looks good! Dare I say, you can't see my TB's ribs (at all) and she is getting muscles back. She is also getting a very nice white stripe on her butt where she was bit by the herd leader. They told me a few weeks ago that she got bit, I just didn't realize that it was that bad. She's also scaring on her front right where she had cellulitus.



Denali's leg, post cellulitus. She also has a lot of scaring on the back of her leg.



The vet lunged Denali and she looked so good! Well, you have to understand that "good" for Denali is looking somewhat horselike and NOT falling. I don't require much to make me happy. At first she did her normal, "I don't see you or hear you and will look everywhere BUT at you." After a few minutes she stopped looking everywhere and focused on the vet. She is definitely stiff in her neck, but as she warmed up she started to use it more.

Then the vet got the saddle and my heart stopped.

1. Denali had been in her stall all morning (still recovering from pulled tendon and they didn't want her to be running around like crazy in the mud.)

2. The herd was in the arena.

She tacked her up and Denali just stood there like, "Yeah, this is what I do. Iz a riddin horse." She made a squeal at her boyfriend and the vet had to remind her the difference between acting like a horse with a horse and how to act around a person.

She hopped up and Denali walked off, so she did it again and Denali stood still. They did some walking and trotting until her suspensory started to act up and she started to limp. The vet (both of them at this point) said that it's not going to finish healing unless it's used.

During the ride, out of the scary, scary woods came the most horrible noise I have ever heard. It sounded like a bobcat killing something followed by an owl hooting. I jumped. Denali looked at the woods and stopped, but that was it. I think the best way to describe Denali would be confident. I think that she is developing confidence being out in the herd.

One problem Denali is having is treating horses like horses and then treating people like horses too. She is trying everything she is learning in the herd with people. It's sort of funny, she does things and looks at you like, "Is this okay?" No Denali, no it's not okay.

Thank you so much for following our blog, and our crazy horrible 2010 with us. I'm hoping that 2011 is our year!

Like our new white stripe on our butt? I hope it comes in black and not white, but at this point she can be covered in scars, as long as she's sound I don't care!